Thursday, July 31, 2014

10 Gorgeous Hotel Bathrooms Around the World, from Smarter Travel






Great article from Smarter Travel paying homage to some of the best. Deep copper soaking tubs, swaths of marble, beautiful views, and soothing rain showers in these unforgettable hotel bathrooms thatare, for the most part, within reach of the average traveler's budget.

http://www.smartertravel.com/photo-galleries/editorial/10-gorgeous-hotel-bathrooms-around-the-world-.html?id=793&all=1



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Tuesday, July 29, 2014

SAVE THE DATE, Third Annual NEWH Green Voice™ Conversations Webinars will be Friday, Sept 26, 2014.






The NEWH Sustainable Hospitality Committee announces the return of the extremely popular Green Voice™ Conversations Webinars on Friday September 26th. The live webinar sessions will feature two CEU-accredited panel discussions, one in the morning, and another in the afternoon, and will be suited to a wide audience of architects, interior designers, purchasing agents, hoteliers, and suppliers to the industry.

Green Voice is now in it’s 3rd year, continuing to grow in scope and popularity each year. This year’s webinars headline 6 industry experts actively involved in sustainable practices across many facets of hospitality, lodging, dining, and business. Moderators and speakers will lead the online attendees through 2 different fascinating conversations covering sustainable principles and practices that impact the hospitality industry from a wide range of perspectives.

Fri, Sept 26, 2014 , 11:00 AM (EST) webinar: “Responsible Sourcing.”
Fri, Sept 26, 2014 , 12:30 PM (EST) webinar: “Sustainable Design for Guests.”

Registration will open online shortly. For more info on NEWH Green Voice™ Conversations go to
www.NEWH.org/Sustainability/Green-Voice-Events/

www.NEWH.org/Sustainability/Green-Voice-Events/



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Friday, July 25, 2014

Andy Schaidler teams with Italmond Furniture as new consulting Hospitality Sales Manager






Italmond Furniture (www.italmond.com) the hospitality industry's leader in manufacturing world-class custom wooden and upholstered furniture is pleased to announce the addition of Andy Schaidler as their new consulting National Hospitality Sales Manager.

Jim Sperrazza, Executive VP of Italmond, commented: “We’re thrilled to have Andy help us grow to the next level in our hospitality sales and marketing with our sales force and clients.” Mr. Schaidler agrees: “Italmond has a beautiful line and a terrific legacy, I look forward to bringing their story and products to the marketplace”
Italmond Furniture is used at numerous upscale resorts, restaurants, and country clubs such as The Venetian Las Vegas, St Regis, Marriot, Jade Hotel, Quail West Golf Club, Big Al’s Bowling, and many more. The products include magnificent custom buffet tables, coffee tables, console tables, dining tables, and end tables; as well as luxurious custom upholstered barstools, benches, dining chairs, guest room chairs, lounge chairs, and sofas.

Mr. Schaidler’s responsibilities will include building the firm’s hospitality brand plus expanding their reputation for manufacturing exceptional contract quality world-class custom wooden and upholstered furniture. He will also build and manage the company’s national independent hospitality sales team, along with the development of new sales & marketing opportunities for the company into the hospitality industry. Andy and the Italmond Hospitality team will work with upscale hotel, resort, casino, fine dining, spa and country club industries, as well as the developers, builders, management groups and owners of these projects. Italmond also collaborates with architects, designers and other discriminating specifiers to ensure each furniture project meets or exceeds their needs.

Andy Schaidler served on the Board of Directors of NEWH: The Hospitality Network for almost a decade, the not-for-profit volunteer organization raises scholarship funds for college students studying hospitality design and architecture. He is currently helping with marketing and public relations on the NEWH Sustainable Hospitality Committee. He’s developed national hospitality programs for firms such as: AFX, Regal Mirror, Volume Intl, Lighting Enterprises, Interior Image Group, and he currently consults for Purchasing Solutions Intl and LeFerForge Drapery Hardware.

About Italmond Furniture (www.italmond.com):
Italmond Furniture recently celebrated its 35th anniversary providing high quality furnishings to specifiers and buyers engaged in creatively challenging and professionally demanding hospitality and contract work. Italmond is your complete resource, whether you need a special order for a unique project, furniture designs tailored to harmonize with one-of-a-kind architectural features, or custom-crafted and beautifully durable guest room furnishings.
From the drawing board and design phase to the selection of first class materials and finishes and the final process of precision manufacturing, Italmond ensures superior results.
Bring us your exacting specifications and custom ideas and let us execute them with exceptional attention to detail, masterful skill and workmanship, and strict adherence to deadlines and other critical project parameters. For generations Italmond has specialized in satisfying the aesthetic, brand image, and budgetary needs of a discriminating commercial clientele. We are here to serve you from start to finish.

For more information contact: Andy Schaidler – Consulting Hospitality Sales Manager AndyS@italmond.com (877) 893-6296 James Sperrazza - Executive Vice President jsperrazza@italmond.com - (281) 794-0563 Kevin Kevonian - President Kevin@italmond.com- (877) 777-0052 Italmond Furniture 7312 Laurel Canyon Blvd North Hollywood CA 91605 Ph: (877) 777-0052 Fax: (877) 777-0525 www.italmond.com

http://www.prlog.org/12352733





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Thursday, July 24, 2014

Men are pickier about hotel room colors according to USF study (and other useful hotel design insights)






An award-winning study by Vanja Bogicevic, a student pursuing a master's degree at USFSM, could help hoteliers rethink the choices they give guests, perhaps adding a splash of color for the hotel business.

http://www.bradenton.com/2014/02/11/4984899/men-pickier-about-hotel-room-colors.html





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Wednesday, July 23, 2014

Herman Miller to acquire Design Within Reach






Interesting, I remember not so long ago when DWR was trying to break into contract/hospitality via their retail consumer showrooms…

"This combination expands our reach in the higher margin consumer sector and we have identified multiple points of strategic leverage that will benefit our other segments and operations, as well as Design Within Reach own growth plans.”

The Editor at Large: Herman Miller to acquire Design Within Reach - http://bit.ly/1nqVKWz



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Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Forbes Magazine: "Lady Gaga Is Still Schooling Marketers"






Lady Gaga concerts are sensory-overload spectacles, gaudy gigs — and breakthrough BRAND EXPERIENCES.    Businesspeople looking to make an indelible in-person impression through customer experience should follow her lead.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/deniselyohn/2014/07/16/lady-gaga-is-still-schooling-marketers/



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Monday, July 21, 2014

Condé Nast Traveler Magazine's Best New Hotel Designs Hot List 2014






Short article celebrating the top five properties whose architecture and interior design are defining style today, from Los Angeles to London, Copenhagen to Shanghai. 16 gorgeous pictures on their website.

http://www.cntraveler.com/hot-list/2014/design-hotels



Best New Design Hotels

Friday, July 18, 2014

'Millennial Travelers' ....A Hard Sell for Hotels Despite All the Wooing






"Hey, it isn’t all about refurbishing the hotel lobby and placing a touch-screen in there. Millennial guests demand great customer service from staff, and they will quickly sour on a hotel if the staff isn’t up to par." — Dennis Schaal

Despite all of the rhetoric about lifestyle-hotel brands and big chains going all-out to capture the allegiances of Millennial travelers, they are proving to be more critical of their hotel stays than other guests, especially if it is the first time they have experienced a specific hotel brand.


http://skift.com/2014/07/16/millennials-a-hard-sell-for-hotels-despite-all-the-wooing/



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Just completed by LeFerForgé Hospitality: double drapery rod system for The Brice Savannah - A Kimpton Hotel






Here's an example of understated modern drapes on Le Fer Forge Hospitality drapery hardware. Notice the sheers peeking out between the left and right drapes. You might not know it was Savannah GA, but you can certainly tell it's a Kimpton.

Gotta love their doggy-friendly Very Important Pet program, and their nightly wine hour for human guests, too!

http://www.bricehotel.com/savannah-hotel/index.html



Brice-Savannah-Kimpton-Guestroom.jpg

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

Just completed by LeFerForgé Hospitality: large arc 2-pole drapery rod system for Washington DC Marriott - Wardman Park






Here's an example of the skill and craftsmanship used on a regular basis at Le Fer Forge Hospitality in drapery hardware to tackle a tough installation. Notice the bay window in this luxury hotel suite. The sheers and drapes can open or close on a pair of independent rods that are both bent in sweeping elegant arcs to match the bay shape while mounted on dual support brackets to the inside of the window frame. Topped by a matching fabric header that also follows the same bend.

Le Fer Forge (LeFerForge.com) is the only drapery hardware manufacturer in the US that bends hotel drapery rods to order in house ...and without seams or gaps ...and does it in rustfree stainless steel or aluminum , as well as iron.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=wasdt&pageID=HWGRD_SUITES&imageID=1&isLightbox=true



Washington Marriott Wardman Park

Just completed by LeFerForgé Hospitality: large arc 2-pole drapery rod system for Washington DC Marriott - Wardman Park






Here's an example of the skill and craftsmanship used on a regular basis at Le Fer Forge Hospitality in drapery hardware to tackle a tough installation. Notice the bay window in this luxury hotel suite. The sheers and drapes can open or close on a pair of independent rods that are both bent in sweeping elegant arcs to match the bay shape while mounted on dual support brackets to the inside of the window frame. Topped by a matching fabric header that also follows the same bend.

Le Fer Forge (LeFerForge.com) is the only drapery hardware manufacturer in the US that bends hotel drapery rods to order in house ...and without seams or gaps ...and does it in rustfree stainless steel or aluminum , as well as iron.

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/photo-tours.mi?marshaCode=wasdt&pageID=HWGRD_SUITES&imageID=1&isLightbox=true



Washington Marriott Wardman Park

Good news from J.D. Power: Hotel upgrades and remodeling and renovations help guest satisfaction hit record high






Guest satisfaction at North America hotels reached a record high for the second straight year, as more properties received capital improvements, J.D. Power said in its annual survey.

“This year, a lot of the improvements were driven by the product side — better facilities and better guestrooms.”

http://www.travelweekly.com/Travel-News/Hotel-News/Hotel-upgrades-help-guest-satisfaction-hit-record-high/



J.D. Power: Hotel upgrades help guest satisfaction hit record high - Travel Weekly

Wednesday, July 9, 2014

Travel + Leisure Names World’s 50 Best Hotels






A significant number of this year’s Travel + Leisure winners are close to home, with the share of U.S. properties growing by more than 19 percent over last year.  Way to go Triple Creek Ranch, in Darby, MT !  Number 1 ranking in the world (according to the readers of T+L).

http://time.com/2963242/travel-leisure-names-worlds-50-best-hotels/



Here Are the 50 Best Hotels in the World

Tuesday, July 8, 2014

Let's hear an 'AMEN' from everyone in A&D and manufacturing and procurement: "Now’s the Time to Renovate"






Improved business means higher cash flows, and many owners and operators —the smart ones, anyway are using some of their windfalls to undertake renovation projects, some of which were long overdue thanks to the industry’s recession-fueled downturn during the last decade.

There’s probably no financial excuse for rejecting the idea of a renovation.

http://www.hotelnewsnow.com/Article/14019/Nows-the-time-to-renovate



Patty Watson named the new Tennessee, Alabama, Carolinas contract representative for Le Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware






Le Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware (www.LeFerForge.com) the resort industry's leader in manufacturing exterior and interior decorative hardware for drapes is pleased to announce the addition of Patty Watson and her agency as the contract-hospitality representative for the southern states of Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina.

http://www.prlog.org/12346020



Patty Watson named the new Tennessee, Alabama, Carolinas contract rep for Le Fer Forgé Hospitality | PRLog

Let's hear an 'AMEN' from everyone in A&D and manufacturing and procurement: "Now’s the Time to Renovate"






Improved business means higher cash flows, and many owners and operators —the smart ones, anyway are using some of their windfalls to undertake renovation projects, some of which were long overdue thanks to the industry’s recession-fueled downturn during the last decade.

There’s probably no financial excuse for rejecting the idea of a renovation.



Patty Watson named the new Tennessee, Alabama, Carolinas contract representative for Le Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware

I'm pleased to announce Patty Watson has been named our new Tennessee, Alabama, Carolinas contract representative for Le Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware

Patty Watson named the new Tennessee, Alabama, Carolinas contract rep for Le Fer Forgé Hospitality | PRLogLe Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware the resort industry's leader in manufacturing exterior and interior decorative hardware for drapes is pleased to announce the addition of Patty Watson and her agency as the contract-hospitality representative for the southern states of Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina, and North Carolina.


Andy Schaidler, the Hospitality Sales Manager of Le Fer Forge, commented: “Patty and I met each other through our mutual rep friend Lu Cushing during the recent NEWH Regional Tradeshow. I’m excited to have her help us to the next level in our sales and marketing and hospitality client growth in greater Birmingham, Memphis, Nashville, Greenville, Ashville, High Point, and other southeastern cities.”  

Patty and the Le Fer Forgé Hospitality team will work around Tennessee and surrounding Southern states with upscale hotel, resort, casino, fine dining, spa and country club industries, as well as the developers, builders, management groups and owners of these projects.   Patty will also be calling on Alabama, Tennessee, and The Carolinas hospitality architects, designers and other specifiers to make sure each drapery hardware project suits the location while coming in ahead of schedule and on budget. 



Wednesday, July 2, 2014

World's coolest hotel rooms






Whether they're located in caves or decked out in all-over orange, these ten picks from USA Today are some of the coolest hotel rooms in the world.   http://usat.ly/1pJFh3c



World's coolest hotel rooms

Tuesday, July 1, 2014

I'm pleased to announce Nannette Nielsen our new Rocky Mountain States contract rep for Le Fer Forge Hospitality

Le Fer Forgé Hospitality Drapery Hardware (www.LeFerForge.com) the resort industry's leader in manufacturing exterior and interior decorative hardware for drapes is pleased to announce the addition of Nannette Nielsen and her agency Nannette Nielsen & Company as the contract-hospitality representative for the rocky mountain states of Colorado, Utah, New Mexico, and Wyoming.  


NannetteNielsen.jpegAndy Schaidler, the Hospitality Sales Manager of Le Fer Forge, commented: “Nannette and I met each other through our mutual rep friend Kathy Irish  and the timing couldn’t be better for Nannette and I to join forces as we prepare for the upcoming NEWH Rocky Mountain Regional Tradeshow in August in Denver. I’m excited to have her help us to the next level in our sales and marketing and hospitality client growth in greater Denver, Colorado Springs, Salt Lake City, Santa Fe, Albuquerque, Jackson Hole, and others.”  

Nannette and the Le Fer Forgé Hospitality team will work around Colorado and surrounding rocky mountain states with upscale hotel, resort, casino, fine dining, spa and country club industries, as well as the developers, builders, management groups and owners of these projects.   Nannette will also be calling on Utah, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Colorado hospitality architects, designers and other specifiers to make sure each drapery hardware project suits the location while coming in ahead of schedule and on budget. 


http://www.prlog.org/12343493